Honest opinion on why I chose the V8 after being a long time rotary guy.
Rick's Performance? Ivan?
And, now: https://www.rx7club.com/west-rx-7-fo...r-omg-1112205/
There are a ton of well regarded shops in SoCal a trailer ride away. If you can't get out of bed to get your FD serviced from the Bay Area, then good luck completing an LS swap.
This.
And, now: https://www.rx7club.com/west-rx-7-fo...r-omg-1112205/
There are a ton of well regarded shops in SoCal a trailer ride away. If you can't get out of bed to get your FD serviced from the Bay Area, then good luck completing an LS swap.
An LS swap doesn't change the fact that most of the car is still an RX-7 and will continue to need RX-7 parts.
If you don't work on your own car then I suggest buying something newer. Old cars need plenty of wrenching regardless of the platform or drivetrain.
Some parts are not available thru Mazda anymore but the aftermarket provides many parts and someone is always parting a car out in the for sale section.
If you don't work on your own car then I suggest buying something newer. Old cars need plenty of wrenching regardless of the platform or drivetrain.
Some parts are not available thru Mazda anymore but the aftermarket provides many parts and someone is always parting a car out in the for sale section.
Last edited by Narfle; Mar 30, 2017 at 12:19 AM.
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From: SJ, CA
If you read that thread, one of the later posts places Rick in the sketchy category. Socal isn't local. Next thing you'll be saying is I should just trailer it to Pettit? I could always just take it to the dealership, right? 
I have a experienced shop 20 mins away that does LS swaps for a very reasonable amount. I can get a LS3 repaired in thousands of shops. Oh I forgot, they are super reliable so maybe that really isn't germane.
No matter now anyone tries to justify their point of view, parts for the RX7 are getting harder and harder to come by. Engine parts are getting rarer still. Fewer and fewer shops take RX7s. Shops understand that making money on a rebuild waiting weeks/months for parts is a losing proposition.
I have a experienced shop 20 mins away that does LS swaps for a very reasonable amount. I can get a LS3 repaired in thousands of shops. Oh I forgot, they are super reliable so maybe that really isn't germane.
No matter now anyone tries to justify their point of view, parts for the RX7 are getting harder and harder to come by. Engine parts are getting rarer still. Fewer and fewer shops take RX7s. Shops understand that making money on a rebuild waiting weeks/months for parts is a losing proposition.
FWIW, I've had great experiences with Rick's Performance. They guy complaining about them is a slightly bitter ex-bay-area mechanic, so he might be a little jaded.
IRPerformance can ship you a brand new long block to the shop. Major retailers stock housing, rotors, plates. They're not hard to get. You're deluding yourself.
If you really want an LS swap, fine. But, I haven't had any trouble getting my car serviced in the bay area and to say otherwise is BS. And, as mentioned: most of your car is still an RX7.
If having an easy to service LS powered vehicle is really your motive, there are lots of late model options that don't come with all your RX7 based complaints.
IRPerformance can ship you a brand new long block to the shop. Major retailers stock housing, rotors, plates. They're not hard to get. You're deluding yourself.
If you really want an LS swap, fine. But, I haven't had any trouble getting my car serviced in the bay area and to say otherwise is BS. And, as mentioned: most of your car is still an RX7.
If having an easy to service LS powered vehicle is really your motive, there are lots of late model options that don't come with all your RX7 based complaints.
I've owned both an LS3 swapped and a couple Rotary powered FD. If you don't know how to work on your own car the FD is not for you. LS swaps need just as much tinkering as Rotary powered ones. Putting an LS into another car doesn't make it an instantly trouble free ownership experience.
It's even more work to get it to play nice in a car that never came with that engine in the first place. Not to mention it completly loses all its refinement.
The fit and finish completely go out the window when you swap the car. You most likely will have clearance issues in the firewall lip, trans tunnel, lack of ground clearance for the long tubes, hood clearance issues with the throttle body etc. lots of heat from firewall and floor. Clunky transmission. Sketchy wiring...
Don't get me wrong. I love me an LS swap and a few of the swapped cars were done by talented folks and are very cool cars. Most of what you will find is hack backyard builds you wouldn't wish on your enemy let alone buy yourself with your hard earned money.
I'm not your typical RX-7 owner. I've never been in love with the rotary engine. But the car has OEM refinement with the factory drivetrain. Once you solve the Rubiks cube of ownership I hear it's not so bad. It's an expensive and painful learning curve with the rotary engine. I've yet to have proven it to myself it can be reliable at 400hp+ power levels. But the LS motor was a great motor. It's just not as easy as dropping it in and problem solved.
It's even more work to get it to play nice in a car that never came with that engine in the first place. Not to mention it completly loses all its refinement.
The fit and finish completely go out the window when you swap the car. You most likely will have clearance issues in the firewall lip, trans tunnel, lack of ground clearance for the long tubes, hood clearance issues with the throttle body etc. lots of heat from firewall and floor. Clunky transmission. Sketchy wiring...
Don't get me wrong. I love me an LS swap and a few of the swapped cars were done by talented folks and are very cool cars. Most of what you will find is hack backyard builds you wouldn't wish on your enemy let alone buy yourself with your hard earned money.
I'm not your typical RX-7 owner. I've never been in love with the rotary engine. But the car has OEM refinement with the factory drivetrain. Once you solve the Rubiks cube of ownership I hear it's not so bad. It's an expensive and painful learning curve with the rotary engine. I've yet to have proven it to myself it can be reliable at 400hp+ power levels. But the LS motor was a great motor. It's just not as easy as dropping it in and problem solved.
To make a rotary match the power of a (very!) cheaply warmed over V8, it's a no brainer. Now if you are a rotary fetishist that wants to drive a NA FC and fawking babble to everyone on the internet about 20b's and how the 787b got banned from Lemans for being too amazing then the V8 will never ever make you happy. But if your a guy like me, who by fate fell in love with the whole shitty 80's japanese sports car, not just the stupid Dorito engine, then you too could be as gay as me with a rumbly 300hp FB you can drive any where.
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To make a rotary match the power of a (very!) cheaply warmed over V8, it's a no brainer. Now if you are a rotary fetishist that wants to drive a NA FC and fawking babble to everyone on the internet about 20b's and how the 787b got banned from Lemans for being too amazing then the V8 will never ever make you happy. But if your a guy like me, who by fate fell in love with the whole shitty 80's japanese sports car, not just the stupid Dorito engine, then you too could be as gay as me with a rumbly 300hp FB you can drive any where.
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 17
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From: TX
My RX8 didn't gain more than 40 or so lbs with no weight redux and all accessories. It was dead nuts reliable and straightened out a few arguments at TX2K. Sold it and now have a rotary RX8 and love it just as much. V8 swaps are rad and frankly better in almost every way. But to me its just easier (and cheaper) to get a C6Z if i want a fast LS car again.
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